


what a tangled web we weave

by lostinbooks



Series: it’s just another downpour, don’t let it get the best of you [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Hiding things, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Musing, Spoilers for Episode: s01e7 Bubble Buddies, Talking, and realizing it’s the first of a future long list, learning how to lie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24337906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinbooks/pseuds/lostinbooks
Summary: when first we practice to deceive!" ~Canto VI, XVII in the play "Marmion" by Sir Walter Scott.It's the moments after that Connie realizes: hanging out with Steven can bedangerous.But what's life without some adventure? She'll prepare for the contingencies for next time. Next time won't be as terrifying with the proper tools.(But Steven isn't exactly normal. And Connieknowsher parents won't approve of this strange, kind boy and the adventures they go through.)(She needs to know her lies inside and out.)
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Priyanka Maheswaran, Steven Universe & Garnet
Series: it’s just another downpour, don’t let it get the best of you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756576
Comments: 10
Kudos: 48
Collections: Steven Universe Completed Recommended Reads





	what a tangled web we weave

Connie waved at her new friend - such a different thing to think - as she got in the car. Her mom gave her a tired smile from the driver's seat as she started up the car. “Who was that dear?” 

“Oh, um, that was Steven. We’re friends now.” Something warm pulsed in Connie’s chest at the thought. She has a friend. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she stared out the window. 

“He seemed like a nice boy. Did you meet him today?” 

Connie nodded. “Yeah, he-“ _saved her from falling rocks_ “-um, accidentally fell on me.” Partially true. 

“Are you okay?” Her mom’s eyes sharpened, looking her up and down. “Are you sure it was an accident?” 

Connie flushed, flailing her hands, “Mom! He’s not like that at all! He’s really sweet and super goofy.” Connie giggled, “He-“ _drew a super complicated picture for the nine-year-old to understand_ “-we played charades and he wasn’t very good.” 

_But he’s sweet and kind and a far cry from the boys at school. He didn’t get upset when Onion understood her and not him. He didn’t make fun of her when she cried. He had remembered her from the float parade! He had kept her glow stick, where he noticed it from the parade and saved it in his freezer for a year on the off chance he would see her again!_

“Is that why you’re such a mess? Honestly, Connie, you’ve got sand all over yourself.” After a dip in the ocean and fighting against a giant monster that could’ve swallowed her in one gulp, a little sand and dirt weren’t much of a bother. “You’ll have to take a shower and then vacuum all the sand that gets in the house, alright?” 

“Yes ma’am. Sorry, ma’am. I didn’t realize how late it was and we got caught in high tide.” 

Her mom sighed, parking and killing the engine. “At least you had a fun day. Are you hungry? I’m sure we have some leftovers still.” 

“I already ate with Steven.” She ate pizza which technically wasn’t allowed, but she wasn’t going to tell her mom that. Connie dashed past her mom, running up the steps and to her room. Quickly grabbing the necessary clothes, she ran to the bathroom and locked it. Her hand trembled against the doorknob. 

Today _had_ been fun, in a terrifying way. _Connie’s heart thundered in her ears as they flew over the water before sinking into it, the pink world turning a bit darker under the water. Something shrieked, a massive orange worm, and it was only through sheer luck that she didn’t have a panic attack right there and then. It helped when Steven explained what the monster was doing too. Then a crack split the air and the world got even darker and she was about to die so what did it matter? Connie spilled out her story to the boy who had caused all this in the first place, and in return, he revealed the glowstick. Her heart slowed as they talked before water poured into every crevice of her body and she was so lucky that her glasses hadn’t fallen off._

_Connie stared at nothing when they broke the surface, still trying to register everything. Steven's laughter cut short when the monster emerged again, and everything became a blur of orange and red and words-“Connie give me the bracelet!”-and running away from the pier. Her heart jumpstarted as he slid to her side, seawater flying from the tangled up monster as it reached for them; a warm, pudgy hand enveloping hers, an ominous cracking from the pier, and the monster disappeared in a cloud of smoke._

Connie shucked off her clothes. She couldn’t tell her mom about any of it. Because then her mom wouldn’t let her hang out with Steven anymore, just like Joey after he showed her parkour, or Isabella after they used Isabella’s mom’s car for a joyride (Connie knew it was a bad idea but Isabella didn’t listen, she never had-)

She turned on the water, stepping into the shower and scrubbing off all the itchy grains out of her hair and her skin. Connie understood, she really did! Her mom was a doctor and saw people in horrible accidents every day. She didn’t want her daughter to be a part of them. But couldn’t she have faith that Connie can figure out who to hang out with, and what to not do? 

The point was, she wanted to still interact with Steven without worrying her mom. To do so, she needed to come up with a plan. A specific cover story for when she got bruised (because if she hadn’t run fast enough, if Steven hadn’t been clever enough, she could have-), or soaked, or anything else that might occur when she visited him again. Oh, and something for his guardians. She has to write all of this down. 

With a nod, Connie stepped out of the shower armed with a plan and the means to enact it. 

{%%%%%} 

The thought came while she was vacuuming. 

She could have died today. She could have died a dozen times over. She could have died if Steven had been too slow, or if his bubble hadn’t appeared; if the harpoon gun had strayed a bit to the left, if the roller coaster _had_ popped the bubble, if Steven hadn’t pulled her up to the surface, if the monster had been just a little bit closer, _if if if-_

Connie turned off the vacuum. “It’s fine. It’s okay. I’m here, and I’m fine - look I’m not even bruised!” She stretched her arm out, ignoring how it trembled. Her dark skin was unblemished. “See, I’m-it was just some water and sand, that’s all. And-and now I know to be prepared for next time!” 

“I’ll take a backpack, a water bottle - make sure to fill it before I leave - some nutritionally healthy snacks, a first aid kit, a book, anything else?” Connie closed her eyes as her shoulders slumped in realization, “My book. I left it on the beach.” And she didn’t know the next time she could go back. “I really, really, really hope Steven finds it.” 

{%%%%%}

“Here.” Garnet tossed him a book as he exited the bathroom. 

Steven turned it over, brows furrowing. “The Backstop in the Grain? This isn’t mine Garnet.” 

“I know.” Garnet adjusted her glasses, heading to the warp pad. “It’s hers. And she’ll want it back when she comes.” 

“Her? Her who? Wait, is it Connie?” Steven gasped, “Is she coming back? When? I hope I wasn’t too weird, she was still confused after I explained what my funky flow was to her but when is she coming?! Garnetttt these are important questions! Come back!” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please comment and subscribe!


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